Going green has become an increasingly important consideration for homes and businesses of all types in recent years, as climate change and related problems require companies to be more environmentally responsible in their consumption of energy resources. Making changes to your residential property or workplace to reduce your carbon footprint won't only improve your green credentials, but is also likely to save you a great deal on overheads as less energy is wasted each month - making it worth considering switching to green energy tariffs aimed specifically at lowering the environmental impact of your property.

Green energy tariffs offer a more sustainable option for homes and commercial premises, and may be generated through sustainable means - such as solar panels or wind farms - or may have other environmental perks, such as minimising the amount of paper consumed by offering online billing and correspondence. Specialised green energy plans alone may not be enough to make your home or office environmentally sustainable however, which is why it's important to take action to reduce your energy wastage by changing your usage habits.

For homes, reducing energy consumption could be as straightforward as remembering to switch off lights and electronic devices when you leave rooms and not leaving televisions and computer monitors on standby settings, but for businesses there may be more factors to consider. Making sure all your employees are aware of good energy saving behaviour should lead to reduced energy bills even if you don't switch your tariff, and you may also consider installing timers and sensors to deactivate lights when they are no longer needed - with lighting typically accounting for the highest proportion of business energy use.

If you're determined to reduce your property's energy consumption through green energy, there are various options to consider, such as installing your own renewable energy generators in the form of solar panels. If you have a large garden, you could also reduce your water consumption by installing rainwater tanks to supply all the water you need to irrigate your lawn and plants. Plus, you can also make use of natural ventilation and shade by installing drapes or blinds on windows and strategically opening windows and doors to create draughts through your property which could reduce your reliance on lighting and cooling systems during the summer. Similarly, installing double glazing in windows and insulation in roofs and wall cavities could help your property to retain more heat in the winter, thus reducing your gas consumption.

Fiona Roy writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.